Author: Jen Franklin Kearns, ds-connex team member

As parents, our journeys in the Down syndrome community are a rewarding, yet complicated (and often exhausting!) experience. We could probably all agree that it takes a village to support our families, and families in the Down syndrome community may need an even stronger tribe. Many times, teachers, coaches, paraprofessionals, caregivers, and mentors are proud members of our villages and play key roles in the lives of our loved ones with Down syndrome. To recognize these amazing relationships, ds-connex is proud to announce the My VIP campaign! Beginning Monday, April 15th, we invite you to submit a video or photo of your child with someone who plays an important role in their life. We can’t wait to celebrate those who make such a difference in the lives of kids with Down syndrome.

The nominators with the top three posts (the videos or photos with the most likes) on our campaign’s Facebook album will receive a $125 (first prize), $75 (second) or $50 (third) donation from ds-connex to their Down syndrome fundraising team along with a $25 Amazon e-gift card for their child’s VIP.

How to Nominate a VIP

Starting Monday, April 15, 2019 you can nominate the terrific VIPs in your child’s life by submitting a video or photo and a brief story to contests@ds-connex.org. Nominations may be submitted April 15th – May 5th. All entries must be received by the end of the day on 5/5 in order to be included in the contest. Please provide videos that are under 60 seconds in length, or high quality photographs (not photos copied from your social media accounts…those won’t render well when we post them!). We will post all nominations to an album on the ds-connex Facebook page on the afternoon of Monday, May 6th, when voting will begin. We will tally the likes each nomination receives on their respective video or photo in the album. The voting will close at 12pm EST on Monday, May 13, 2019. The winners will be announced later that day via the ds-connex Facebook page. All nominators, VIPs, and schools/organizations associated with the VIPs are encouraged to promote the contest and ask friends and family members on Facebook to like their nomination post. We also encourage participants to like the ds-connex Facebook page so they can stay informed of any upcoming contest opportunities.

And the Winner Is…

The nominators for the top three posts (most likes on their album video or photo) will receive a $125 (first prize), $75 (second) or $50 (third) donation from ds-connex to their Down syndrome fundraising team along with a $25 Amazon e-gift card for their child’s VIP.

The three VIPs will be announced on ds-connex social media on the afternoon of Monday, May 13th. We will highlight selected nominations, chosen at random, throughout the campaign period.

By nominating someone for the My VIP campaign, you are giving ds-connex permission to share your submission via our Connexions blog and across multiple social platforms in order to raise awareness and appreciation of teachers, mentors, coaches, paraprofessionals, caregivers, and mentors in the Down syndrome community. Please note that this contest is sponsored by ds-connex.

We look forward to seeing your My VIP entries soon and hearing some great stories about the important people in your child’s life!